This Professional Development Series includes four workshops designed to support early to mid-career professionals. You will develop skills and gain knowledge to support your organizations, advance in your career, and make connections in the Flagstaff and Northern Arizona communities.

You can register for All Four workshops for $155 (a savings $45) or individual workshops ($50 each). All sessions are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Project Management for Non-Project Managers - September 16

Whether you have been assigned as a project lead or contribute as part of a team, successful outcomes depend on strong planning and communication. Participants will leave with strategies and resources immediately applicable to their projects. This hands-on workshop introduces practical tools to:

• organize work,
• define roles and responsibilities,
• manage timelines, and
• deliver effective presentations.

Intermediate Facilitation - September 30

Effective meetings do not happen by accident. This workshop is ideal for professionals looking to strengthen their interpersonal skills and guide groups through complex conversations. In interactive exercises and role-playing scenarios, participants will learn techniques to:

• facilitate productive discussions,
• navigate conflict,
• guide decision making, and
• lead public and organizational meetings with confidence.

Team Building - October 14

Strong teams are built on trust, communication, and a shared sense of purpose. Participants will gain tools to become more effective team members while building healthier, more resilient workplace cultures. This workshop will explore:

• the stages of team development,
• practical strategies to improve collaboration,
• strengthening relationships, and
• fostering accountability.

Leadership Development - October 28

Leadership is not defined by job titles—anyone at the table can be a leader. Participants will gain new perspectives, practical leadership tools, and connections to support their continued professional growth. This workshop is designed for emerging and established leaders alike and through interactive activities and discussions will focus on:

• communication,
• decision-making,
• mentorship, and
• emotional intelligence.

Instructor Katherine Sánchez Meador brings over 25 years of public sector experience focused on employee development, leadership training, and professional growth. She designed mentoring programs, facilitated high level leadership teams, and supported workforce development initiatives. Katherine is passionate about supporting professionals advance in their careers.

Take a stroll through the local forests and learn the basics of plant identification and foraging.  Students will have the opportunity to hike through three different forest types in the Flagstaff area with a variety of edible and medicinal plants that are widespread and easy to identify and use. Your registration fee also includes a seed packet from Lily of the Field Nursery.

This class is led by instructor Amelia Knutson who has worked with plants from childhood as the daughter of the NAU Research Greenhouse Complex Manager. She received a B.S. in Plant Sciences from the University of Arizona, where she graduated Cum Laude.  While she attended school she worked for the U of A Campus Arboretum.  After returning to Flagstaff she worked for Flagstaff Native Plant and Seed, managing the nursery for two years before opening Lily of the Field. In the summer of 2022 she received her permaculture certification from Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture.

This class will involve walking both on and off trail and the following are highly recommended: sturdy footwear, snacks, water, clothing appropriate for protection from the elements. Transportation is not provided; please no dogs.

The class meets on three Saturdays: Sept. 19, 26, Oct. 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. The location and directions for each class will be provided to registrants at least three days prior to class.

Saturday, Sept. 26

During this day-long workshop you will learn the fundamentals of creating stained glass art and you will create your own art piece to take home! You will learn how to select your glass, proper glass cutting, grinding, copper foiling, soldering, patina and finishing techniques.

The class fee includes expert instruction, all materials to make your art piece, and tools provided by the instructor as well as a grant from the Flagstaff Community Foundation.

We will have safety glasses available; feel free to bring your own pair. Please no open toe shoes. Please bring your own snacks, lunch, and water.

Instructor Jeanne Baker began her journey in stained glass art with a full-semester course at Coconino Community College! She has created hundreds of commissioned pieces, and has shared her passion for this creative art form with dozens of friends and family. When she’s not in her studio, she is managing the business that she has owned since 2001, Foliage Unlimited.

The workshop will be off campus at the artist's studio. Directions will be provided once registration closes.

Sunday, Sept. 27

During this day-long workshop you will learn the fundamentals of creating stained glass art and you will create your own art piece to take home! You will learn how to select your glass, proper glass cutting, grinding, copper foiling, soldering, patina and finishing techniques.

The class fee includes expert instruction, all materials to make your art piece, and tools provided by the instructor as well as a grant from the Flagstaff Community Foundation.

We will have safety glasses available; feel free to bring your own pair. Please no open toe shoes. Please bring your own snacks, lunch, and water.

Instructor Jeanne Baker began her journey in stained glass art with a full-semester course at Coconino Community College! She has created hundreds of commissioned pieces, and has shared her passion for this creative art form with dozens of friends and family. When she’s not in her studio, she is managing the business that she has owned since 2001, Foliage Unlimited.

The workshop will be off campus at the artist's studio. Directions will be provided once registration closes.

As part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science, join Kathy Farretta for this free Comet Talk.

In many ways we live in the world of science fiction: smart phones, autonomous automobiles, people living in the ISS, plans to send humans back to the moon. Once viewed as a quirky paperback for kids, science fiction is helping us find our way in this new world.

Kathy serves as the Museum Manager of the Pioneer Museum in Flagstaff, which is part of the Arizona Historical Society. She enjoys getting people excited about history and science, and strengthening our community by working with volunteers and through collaboration. She holds a Master’s degree in History from Northern Arizona University. She currently serves on the Board of the Flagstaff Festival of Science, and the Selection Committee for the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame. She can often be found kayaking, hiking, or curled up with a good science fiction book.